Google quietly discontinues the Nexus Player

The Nexus Player may have been the best TV media player no one ever bought. Google and Asus introduced the Nexus Player back in November 2014. It was one of the first Android TV devices, and a more-than-capable device.

And yet, despite Google’s weight behind this device, it hasn’t been a mainstream success, especially when you compare it with the Chromecast.

As with other Nexus devices, Google wanted to show OEMs what you could do with the Android platform. It was a flagship Android TV product. The Nexus Player competes with the Apple TV, the Amazon Fire TV and other Android TV devices.

I’ve used one for a few months and it was a great way to stream shows from the Netflix app, watch YouTube videos while controlling the queue from the YouTube app on my phone or cast content. I replaced it with the most recent Apple TV.

But it doesn’t mean that Android TV is going anywhere. Google is still iterating and releasing updates for its TV operating system. And new devices running Android TV keep popping up.

Sony’s smart TVs now come with Android TV. The Nvidia Shield is pushing the limits of what you can do with Android TV. French ISPs, such as Free and Bouygues Telecom, are handing out Android TV boxes to their customers. And Xiaomi just unveiled the Mi TV — this last device is comparable to a 4K Nexus Player.

Google has stopped selling the device on its website. But you’ll still be able to see Nexus Players here and there for a few weeks as Google isn’t telling retailers to send them back. Retailers like Best Buy and Target may still have a few units, but it’s the last batch.